


Keeping Warm (Always With Her)

by MillenniumAspen



Category: Splatoon
Genre: Does Inkopolis even get cold winters?, F/F, Fluff, Off The Hook - Freeform, canon divergent i guess, crosspost
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-27
Updated: 2018-11-27
Packaged: 2019-09-01 05:48:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,198
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16759162
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MillenniumAspen/pseuds/MillenniumAspen
Summary: Pearl and Marina go out together into Inkopolis on a cold, winter day.(Originally written in early 2018. Cross-post from Quotev. Only one-shot ever written for a canceled series.)





	Keeping Warm (Always With Her)

The door met resistance as the wind whistled its way inside. The direct blast of cold brought tears to Pearl's eyes, which she wasted no time in blinking away. With a huff, she rammed her body into the door. At last the push from the wind was broken and the front door of the apartment building swung wide open. Pearl's boots crunched over the salt that littered the sidewalk as she stumbled to a halt. Exposed as she was now, the chilling breeze was free to pelt her, and the Inkling lifted her scarf over her nose as her muscles tensed.

"You okay?" Marina exited the building close behind her partner and placed a gloved hand on her shoulder. The door slammed itself closed behind them with another chilling gust.

"I'm fine," Pearl mumbled.

It was easy to see downtown Inkopolis from the apartment complex's location in the metropolitan area, especially at this time of the year. Although the young, scenic trees that grew on islands dispersed along the parking lot usually blocked some of the view, they were now stripped of their leaves.

The outside area of the apartment complex was deserted apart from the pair as Pearl began to tread along the sidewalk with Marina following. Pearl did not blame her neighbors for staying inside. She had never been fond of winter weather herself, especially when it involved wind. Perhaps more importantly, she hated the way the breeze was uncomfortably whipping around her tentacles, sending sharp chills through her body.

There was a soft chuckle from Marina as Pearl's hood was drawn over her head. "That will keep you warmer," the younger woman giggled. Marina was walking beside Pearl now, matching her pace. Pearl glanced sideways at her partner. She noted that Marina had half of her face hidden underneath her scarf, and even her tentacles were tucked back into the hood of her jacket. Marina took notice of Pearl's attention on her. Lowering her scarf below her chin with a gloved hand, the Octoling offered her a smile.

By the Great Zapfish, that smile had the power to melt the most persistent snow and ice. It was the light of a woman who had had a difficult life, and yet remained optimistic. It was an expression that Marina should wear more often, and just now, warmth swept over Pearl's cheeks at the sight of it.

Clearing her throat, Pearl returned to watching the sidewalk ahead of her. They had traveled a fair distance from their own building, and would soon be leaving the vicinity of the apartment complex. The stop for the bus that would take them to downtown Inkopolis was not yet in sight.

The wind picked up again and lifted Pearl's hood from her head. With a grunt, she gripped it with both hands to hold it in place. "I don't get how you can tolerate this weather," she grumbled.

"I don't get why you never dress for it." Marina's reply was quick and certain.

Pearl's eyes turned back to the ground head of her. The only answer she could give was a small sigh. As little experience as she had with winter, Marina already knew well how to be prepared for it. By comparison, the thin jacket that Pearl wore did very little to shield her from the below freezing temperature.

Marina's arm shot out in front of Pearl, stopping her. They were at the first crosswalk. Although the street appeared empty, Marina took a moment to glance in both directions several times, all the while continuing the hold Pearl back. Pearl stamped her feet against the cold, and her breath left her mouth in visible puffs as it passed between her clenched teeth. The wind stung her bare hands like icy needles, and as she began to rub them together, Pearl could see that her skin had already taken on a noticeable blue hue as blood pooled to the surface. Instead she decided to shove her hands into her pockets. Although she could not see it, Pearl could feel her partner's pitying gaze on her.

"Come here." Marina's voice was soft as she wrapped an arm around Pearl's shoulder and drew her in close. Warm lips pressed to her cheek, making the skin tingle underneath. Despite the freezing temperatures and wind-chill, a smile began to tug at the corners of Pearl's mouth as Marina ushered her forward across the street.

With the silence between the pair now, it was easy to hear the sound that the wind carried with it. The rumble of distant, unseen traffic. The song of a lone bird that Pearl was certain had to be perched in one of the nearby trees. "Winter really is amazing," Marina mused once they had reached the sidewalk at the other end of the crosswalk. Although the sky was in deep overcast, the Octoling gazed up at it blissfully. She took a deep breath and let out a long sigh. "It's so different from the other seasons. I've looked forward to it every year since I came here." When her attention shifted to the drifts of snow beside the cleared sidewalk, her voice took on a somber tone. "It was when I saw snow that I realized I would never regret my decision. The real thing is so much more beautiful. Not like the synthetic stuff we had in the domes."

Pearl snapped her head towards Marina as her mouth fell open. Even while walking forward, her partner had returned to watching the sky. Pearl wanted to say something to her, but no words came to mind. She pursed her lips.

She had to admit that this fact slipped her mind on occasion. In the twenty-two years since she had been born, Pearl had been used to cold, snowy winters every year of her life. Marina, now nineteen years old, was only experiencing her third real winter.

Pearl removed a hand from her coat pocket which soon found its way to Marina's. Bare skin to glove, Marina accepted the gesture as she intertwined her fingers with Pearl's. Despite the freezing winds, Pearl breathed a sigh of relief at the warmth of Marina's touch, even through the fabric of her gloves. "I'm glad you're here now," the Inkling said at last. The words formed a smile on her face.

Another ten minutes passed, and after crossing over several more streets, the familiar sight of the bus stop came into view. It was deserted now, but this did not surprise Pearl. Not many people were fond of going places this late in the day during winter. The young couple flashed smiles at each other, and still hand-in-hand, took a seat on the benches as they awaited their ride.

* * *

The trip was rather quiet as they headed downtown. The bus was almost empty when they boarded it and paid their fees. Although there were plenty of other empty seats available, they took one near the back, with Pearl claiming the window and Marina the aisle. As the bus began to move, Pearl crossed her arms over her chest and stared absentmindedly out the window, watching the snowy, suburban scenery as they passed by it. Shadows from the houses fell across their lawns and reached out into the streets.

Pearl spun around towards Marina, who was seated with her hands placed in her lap, gloves removed for the moment. "What time is it?" the Inkling asked.

Marina slipped her phone out of her pocket, and with the press of a button, 4:57 PM flashed on the screen. The couple's eyes met in the silence between them.

"The sun is already setting," Pearl huffed as she returned her attention to the window. "I hate winter."

"It won't be long, Pearlie. I just need an extension cord to finish my Squidmas display on time. The stores will be closed for a few days starting tomorrow." There was a giggle from Marina, and even though Pearl could not see her face, she could hear the smile in her voice as she spoke again. "Besides, I seem to recall you volunteering to come with me."

"You would have just left me at home otherwise!" Pearl pouted as she continued to watch the passing suburbs outside. Larger buildings and businesses began to appear as the bus traveled closer to downtown Inkopolis.

A hand rested on Pearl's lap. Pearl uncrossed her arms and placed her own hand on top of Marina's. Both were quiet for the remainder of the ride, as Pearl continued to watch out the window and rub her thumb over the back of Marina's hand. The warmth and softness of her skin put Pearl at ease.

A light snow began to fall from the darkening sky once they had arrived at their destination. It was a less busy part of Inkopolis, much unlike locations such as the Plaza or the Square where Pearl and Marina would be less likely to attract attention as local idols. Still, plenty of shops lined the streets, some with their lights already off as they were closed for the night. Most shopkeepers did not expect many patrons this time of the day during the holidays.

Pearl was the first off the bus, and she shivered as she left its heat. She stepped aside to allow Marina space to exit behind her, pulling her gloves back on. "Do you really think the shop is open still?" Pearl asked.

"Yes," Marina responded with a nod as she lifted her hood over her head. "It's always open late, even a few days before Squidmas."

"Well lead the way then, Mar."

Marina took Pearl's hand in hers and began to lead her down the sidewalk. Although there was still enough natural light to see where they were going, several street lamps had begun to flicker on. Pearl paid little attention to where she was being led, but after about five minutes of traveling down several blocks by sidewalk, she found herself in front of a small shop nestled among several others. Unlike the dark buildings alongside it, a neon "OPEN" sign was placed in its window, backed by the light inside. Marina was the first to enter, and held the door open to allow her partner in after her. Pearl embraced the indoor heat as it washed over her.

The shop had no other customers when they entered, a fact which did not surprise Pearl with the approaching holiday. Several aisles of metallic shelves lined the shop, leading to a desk in the back. As Pearl followed Marina down one of the aisles, she noted the typical hardware products that lined the shelves: various tools, nails and screws, even cans of paint. For its small size, this shop had quite the selection. Pearl stifled a snicker. It was no wonder that a total hardware geek like Marina would be attracted to a place like this.

The chair behind the desk in the back squeaked as the man in it swiveled around. He was a big lobster, dark red in color, with long, narrow whiskers at the corners of his mouth. He was dressed in a blue work shirt that Pearl could not help but think did not suit him. He laid his pincers on the desk and a smile of recognition came across his face as the pair approached him.

"Good afternoon, Marina!" he greeted. His accented voice was loud and carried tremendous excitement in it, yet was still genuine. It was clear to Pearl that this man was quite fond of the fact that he had a local popstar as a regular customer.

Marina gave a small wave with one hand. "Good afternoon, Richard," she greeted in return. With a quick glance out the window behind her, she added, "Well, evening might be more accurate right now." The dusky atmosphere outside appeared significantly darker than it was just a moment ago, or so it seemed to Pearl. She decided it may have just been caused by tinted windows.

The chair squeaked again as the lobster lifted himself to his feet. He still held his smile as he observed the women in front of him, in particular Pearl. The small Inkling felt drops of sweat begin to form on her face. She would have preferred to finish this trip into Inkopolis without social interaction with anyone aside from Marina. "A pleasure to meet you at last, Pearl! I have heard a lot about you from Marina. I tend to not pay attention to the public's perception of you." His whiskers twitched as he maintained eye contact. It was no exaggeration to say that he was twice her size. "My name is Richard, and this shop is my own little corner of Inkopolis."

"Richard and I hit it off pretty quickly a few years back," Marina added. "We were both foreigners new to the city with a shared interest in hardware." She rubbed circles on Pearl's back.

Pearl continued to stare up at Richard with her teeth parted. "I--uh," she sputtered.

Without a moment of hesitation, Richard filled the gap in their conversation. "So what are you two in for today?"

"Just an extension cord. I need it for my Squidmas light display," Marina explained.

Richard gave an enthusiastic nod. "Sounds great! You'll have to show me pictures when it's done." He stepped around the desk and motioned towards Marina with a pincer. "Right this way then!"

Pearl held back as Marina followed the massive lobster down an aisle. Knowing Marina, she had a feeling that this would take a while. Nothing could stop the young Octoling once she got started on a conversation of one of her passions, and from what Pearl could hear of the conversation, both her partner and Richard were rather excited about their discussion.

There was another muffled voice, coming from behind Pearl. She spun around to notice a small television mounted on the wall in one corner of the shop. A simple weather forecast was on, though the volume was too low for Pearl to make out any words. The middle-aged Inkling woman, with her tentacles tied up in a bun and an uncomfortable amount of makeup on her face, pointed towards various locations in the surrounding counties on a map behind her. Downtown Inkopolis currently sat with "-7°C" superimposed over it. What caught Pearl's attention, however, was the red banner at the bottom of the screen. "Winter Weather Advisory," it read.

The conversation drew closer to where Pearl was standing again. She found, to her surprise, that Marina and Richard were already returning to the desk, Marina now with the distinct orange coil in hand. Richard flopped back into his chair behind the desk. The weight of the drop wheeled him with ease to the other end of the desk, where a single cash register was placed. "I'm sorry I couldn't stay for long, but we have to hurry home," Marina apologized as she removed her wallet from her pocket and began to count out the coins in the palm of her gloved hand.

"It's okay. I'm sure we'll see each other again soon," Richard replied as he accepted the payment. Once the transaction was complete, he handed Marina a small, plastic bag for her purchase. Marina took Pearl's hand in hers once again as they prepared to leave the shop. Richard waved a pincer at them from behind his desk. "See you around, Marina!" he called out. "You too, Pearl!"

Pearl threw a glance over her shoulder at the lobster and manged a crooked smile as she lifted her free hand to return the gesture. Marina gave a more animated farewell, even with the weight of the bag swinging from her hand.

The wind battered the windows of the small shop and whistled inside as Pearl opened the door. She flinched at the blast of cold air. Her body stiffened as she and her partner took their first steps back into the ink-chilling cold. It was already stinging the tips of Pearl's ears, and she pulled her hood back over her head as she ducked away from the flurry.

The pair stood in silence in front of the shop for a moment, and Marina squeezed her partner's hand more tightly.

* * *

Lamps illuminated patches of the dark street. Wind whipped against the shelter around the bus stop, carrying snow with it. As they were seated on the metal bench, the pair could count on one hand the number of cars to pass by since they had sat down. Those that had been parked were covered by fresh, white blankets.

Pearl huddled close to Marina with her head rested on her shoulder. Even with her partner's arm wrapped around her, she could not stop trembling. "How long have we been sitting here?" she asked through clenched teeth.

The screen of Marina's phone lit up in the palm of her hand. "It's 6:14 PM," she responded. Her voice was quiet.

With a scoff, Pearl tucked her nose into her scarf. "It's been over half an hour. What's taking so long? Do they want us to freeze to death?"

Marina stroked Pearl's upper arm. "I think you just need to learn to dress better for the cold, Pearlie," she joked. The Octoling chuckled, but her shoulders gave a sudden lurch as she cut into a fit of dry coughs. Pearl jolted up and stared at her partner intensely.

"Marina, are you okay?" she urged.

"Yeah." Marina's voice was hoarse. After a last hack into the bend of her arm, she added, "The cold air is irritating my lungs."

Pearl wrapped both arms around Marina and gave her a quick, tight squeeze, but a sudden vibration against her thigh caught her attention. "Wait, there's something on my phone," she said, half to herself, as she sat up and retrieved the device from her pocket. She narrowed her eyes as the screen lit up, and as they adjusted to the bright light, she noticed a notification from her weather app. Opening it up, she read aloud, "All public bus routes in Cephalo County are currently out of service until further notice due to severe winter weather. We apologize for any inconvenience."

"That explains a lot," Marina commented, holding her head at a slight tilt. Cephalo County, of course, included all of Inkopolis and most of its metropolitan area.

Pearl gritted her teeth and slapped her hands down into her lap. "Well how are we supposed to get home?" she spat. "No way in hell I'm walking that far in the dark with this nasty weather!"

"Just. . . calm down, Pearlie. We'll figure something out." Marina placed a reassuring hand on the Inkling's shoulder.

"Like what? How can you be so calm?" Pearl shot back. She had to admit, the gnawing in her stomach did not help her mood. She did not recall having a single bite to eat since lunch.

Long fingers wrapped around Pearl's wrists and she was drawn in close to Marina so that the Octoling could press her lips to her forehead. The simple gesture was enough to ebb her frustration, but Pearl still clammed up and could not make eye contact afterward.

"Maybe we can just find a nearby motel to stay in for one night," Marina suggested. "it will cost a little money, but it's not like it would be difficult for us to afford." She gave a small chuckle.

The humor in the comment was lost to Pearl. "Why can't we just call someone to give us a ride home?"

Marina rubbed the back of her neck with a gloved hand. "I don't want to ask someone to drive in this weather. Besides," she leaned forward and cupped Pearl's cheek, "we'll get free food with our stay, and I know you well enough to tell just how hungry you are right now."

Pearl's ears burned as she slumped back onto the cold bench. "Shaddup," she muttered.

* * *

The queen-sized bed gave a gentle creak as Pearl laid back on it, arms spread wide in both directions. The tiny, cheap room was dim, now lit only by the single lamp that Marina had left on earlier. While it did not come close to Pearl's standards, she had to admit that the beds were rather comfortable, being neither too soft nor too firm. Rotating her arms over, she dug her fingers into the fabric of the blankets.

"Tired already?" Marina's voice carried over from the door.

"I've been tired," Pearl groaned.

Marina finished removing her boots and left them beside a table at the door, where she had left the shopping bag. "It's not even 9 yet, you know."

Pearl let out an exhausted sigh."It's been a long evening." She tucked her arms back against her body and rolled on to one side, eyes half-lidded. Of course she had to admit to herself that the free sandwiches she had filled up on earlier contributed to her sleepiness. They had been dripping with so much mayonnaise that Marina grimaced at the sight of Pearl excitedly chowing down on them. Then there was also the attention that she and Marina had received as they checked in. The owner of the motel was an Inkling that could not have been more than thirty years old, and she was all too thrilled to have off the Hook themselves in her motel. Pearl bent her knees close to her chest and allowed her eyelids to slide shut.

Footsteps approached the bed and a hand rubbed circles on her upper back. "Aww, Pearlie. All tuckered out. Maybe it is time for you to get some sleep." The remaining tension in Pearl's body relaxed at the touch. It barely registered to her when Marina lifted her hand away from her until she felt the mattress shift as the Octoling sat down on the other side of the bed. Pearl was jolted out of her sleepiness as Marina yawned, "I'm pretty tired too. I think I'll go to bed with you."

Pearl glanced over her shoulder, only to be met with the sight of Marina's bare back, although she had left her bra on as she folded her shirt. "What are you doing?" the Inkling asked.

"I don't have anything comfier to change into," Marina answered, placing her folded shirt on the bed beside her and moving on to the pants she had worn, "and I don't want to wear these to bed." Pearl watched her for a moment. Her eyes traced over her partner's body, noticing the movements of her toned muscles underneath her skin. Seeing Marina like this never failed to make Pearl's hearts beat quicker, and within seconds she could already feel them pounding in her chest.

The Inkling's clothes were also not the most comfortable in bed. The rigid jeans she wore would bite into her legs when she laid down. She lifted herself back into a sitting position against the protesting of her muscles, where she undid the tight belt of her jeans and kicked them off onto the floor where they would lay in a heap. Marina placed her folded clothes in a neat stack on the nightstand beside the bed. Pearl's baggy t-shirt could stay on. She flopped back down onto the pillow and pulled the blankets up to her chin before she curled into a fetal position. Marina switched off the lamp, and in an instant, Pearl was greeted by total darkness. She heard blankets shuffling on the other side of the bed, and then a faint light flashed on. Pearl rolled onto her back and peered up at Marina. The Octoling was sitting up against her pillow with her phone in hand, though the screen was dimmed with a sepia tone applied. She was reading a digital book, Pearl guessed as she nestled back into her blankets. Marina often did that to help herself settle into bed.

As her eyelids slipped shut again, Pearl was aware of only two sounds: the wind whistling outside, and her own rhythmic breathing. Despite her exhaustion, her body refused to shut down. She had no sense of how much time was passing, but eventually even the light from Marina's phone disappeared and Pearl heard her partner slip underneath the blankets.

Pearl balled the sheets into a fist. Every one of her muscles ached for sleep, and yet she remained alert, in the unfamiliarity of the motel room.

The blankets shuffled around again, and tentative fingers rested on her shoulder. "Are you okay, dear?" Marina whispered.

No words came to Pearl, but her grip on the sheets lessened.

"It's past 11 now," Marina continued. "You haven't slept yet, have you?"

Pearl gave a slight shake of her head. The Octoling laid down behind Pearl so that their bodies were touching and laid an arm over her. Pearl leaned back against her partner and relaxed at the touch as she felt the bare skin of her legs brush against Marina's.

"Is that better?" Marina asked. As the couple shared each other's warmth, Pearl could feel herself beginning to doze off. Before she drifted into sleep, she managed a few words.

"I love you, Marina."


End file.
